Former NARTH President Dean Byrd Has Died

The National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality has announced the death of its former president, Dr A Dean Byrd.

It is always sad when a person passes who spent his life harming people with grossly unscientific theories and outright homophobia before they are able to repent. We hope his family has more peace than the families who had to deal with the guilt foisted on them by this dangerous “therapist.”

About the Author

Wayne Besen is the Founding Executive Director of Truth Wins Out and author of “Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth” (Haworth, 2003). In 2010, Besen was awarded the “Visionary Award” at the Out Music Awards for organizing the American Prayer Hour, an event which shined a spotlight on the role American evangelicals played in the introduction of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

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11 Comments

RainbowPhoenixApril 8, 2012 at 4:50 pm -

Until his spouse is barred from his funeral like he has made happent to so many of us, look for sympathy elsewhere

PJB863April 8, 2012 at 8:28 pm -

I’ll add to RainbowPhoenix’s post: until his spouse is denied grief counseling because, you know, that really wasn’t her spouse, like happened to me (after 24 years together), look for sympathy elsewhere.

L'il FancyApril 8, 2012 at 9:13 pm -

Damn, Wayne that was a hateful post. I thought Linda Harvey was a b***h, but she ain’t got nothing on you!

Wayne BesenApril 8, 2012 at 9:47 pm -

I’m sorry I did not lie and say he was a wonderful man who bettered the world.

L'il FancyApril 8, 2012 at 10:11 pm -

Ha ha!!! You are a mean man!

StraightGrandmotherApril 8, 2012 at 10:29 pm -

Well I liked the post and I am glad Wayne wrote it. 24 years together PJB863? I am so deeply sorry for your loss. RainbowPhoenix you comment was as good as Wayne’s article.

The world is better today with Dean Byrd no longer walking among the living. It may seem mean to say that, but it is the truth.

EmmaApril 8, 2012 at 10:30 pm -

L’il Fancy, I actually thought that Wayne was very polite about the man.

WyocowboyApril 8, 2012 at 11:15 pm -

Lil Fancy why are you attacking everyone that doesn’t agree with you? that sounds like someone that “maybe” hateful.

GeneApril 9, 2012 at 8:57 am -

I feel sorry for this family, but, the fact he was a homophobic bigot is just a fact. StraightGrandmother said it best in post 6. And lets face it, it is always a pity when, in a world with so many needs, someone spends their life hurting others and making things worse. Thats the saddest part of all.

Paul DouglasApril 9, 2012 at 11:10 am -

You know, the fundagelicals would say of a 64 year old gay man who died of cancer that it was “Gawd’s judgment for sin” or “Gawd’s punishment for immorality” or some such b******t. In fact, we could say the same thing about this guy. He clearly died younger than the median age for males in America. It must have been “Gawd’s judgment” on him for not living a more truthful, more compassionate lifestyle, that he was struck down with cancer at such a young age. Maybe this will serve as a warning to other fundagelicals: Don’t mess with Gawd or he’ll bring you to an untimely demise!

Paul McApril 10, 2012 at 7:26 am -

I am 100% convinced that living a life filled with hate (not just the overt and active, sometimes its also the passive, mean-spirited, disapproving, tut-tutting type of hate), will shorten your existence.

To Lil Fancy: it is possible to be sad at the passing of another fellow human and yet at the same time exalt in the fresh absence of their malign influence on the world.

Get to Know Us

Truth Wins Out is a non-profit organization that fights the "ex-gay" myth and antigay religious extremism.

TWO monitors anti-LGBT organizations, documents their lies and exposes wrongdoing. TWO specializes in turning information into action by organizing, advocating and fighting for truth, integrity, and equality for sexual minorities.